06 October 2016

Today we come to the end of the "Attitude for Gratitude" Challenge. Of course, it's not the end of our practice and I hope you will continue on practising acts of kindness and gratitude both for yourself and well as for others.

I want to thank you for practising along with me. Please pass on this challenge to others and share your experiences.

The last thing I do before falling asleep at night is to think of three things that I experienced that day for which I am grateful. Yes, some days it's hard to think of three things, but gradually you can train your mind to pay attention even to the small acts that we often overlook -- a smile, a word of kindness, a phone call, a letter, a small act of compassion or generosity. And we can look to ourselves to find the acts that brought gratitude to someone else.

So tonight, before you fall asleep, make note of three things in your day for which you are grateful. This is a practice that can be done last thing at night or first thing in the morning (or both). Either way, I guarantee you will have a good night's sleep and a more positive day.

05 October 2016

In the coming weeks, both Canada and the U.S. will celebrate Thanksgiving, a tradition going back to the early settlers when they would pay thanks to the bounty of their harvest and the good things the year had brought them.

Looking back on your year, what has the "harvest" brought you? For what are you grateful? What "food" or sustenance or nurturing has benefitted you in the last year? Take a few moments to give thanks and either share your reflections in the comments below or in your journal.

04 October 2016

We're getting to the end of our 21-Day Attitude for Gratitude Challenge. How has it been going for you? Don't worry if you missed days. You can always come back here to the site and work your way through the challenges at your own pace.

Have you begun to feel a change in your outlook? Do you feel more grateful and appreciative? more positive? Are you beginning to recognise acts of gratitude and kindnesses?

So often we look outside ourselves for sources of gratitude -- a kindness done by someone else. But what about looking within? What has gone well today because of you?

Take a few moments and think about what you have done today to make the world a little better, a little more positive, and a kinder more positive world. What went well because of you?

03 October 2016

Yesterday, a very good friend of mine died. I was fortunate that I arrived the night before and had an opportunity to sit with him for an hour. Although he was not conscious, I assumed he was aware of my presence and talked to him, shared stories of our adventures together, and gave him my love. The following day, as I was getting ready to visit again, his wife called to say he had passed away.

I went to the hospice and sat with his wife, keeping watch over the body. We both felt his presence in the room and sat in that sacred silence, sharing our tears. Later, we also shared more memories, laughter, and yet more tears.

Those hours felt like a great gift, not just in giving my time and presence but also in what I felt I was given -- an opportunity to play a meaningful role in the face of death. Not that I could make sense of it all--I don't have the faith that more religious folk do--but I felt I was joining in that universal human act of companionship and compassion to help make sense of our grief and pain and the chaos that can appear to be around us.

What ritual or ceremony have you take part in that has made you grateful that you were able to be a part of? What has it taught you, if anything? If you'd like, share below in the comments or privately in your journal or notebook.

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